Cleveland County Schools, NC

Original Research by School Decision on Cleveland County Schools

Cleveland County Schools is a mid-sized district serving communities across Cleveland County, North Carolina, including Shelby, Kings Mountain, Grover, Casar, Fallston, and Lawndale. The district operates a range of schools from early childhood through dual-credit pathways, with an enrollment distributed across elementary, middle, and high schools, plus specialized programs.

Academic performance shows students proficient or above in math at a moderate rate, while English language arts proficiency lags somewhat behind. Science proficiency sits between the two. These results reflect a district where roughly three in five students in elementary and middle grades meet grade-level standards in mathematics, about half do so in reading, and a similar share demonstrates science competency. The district includes some specialized offerings: Cleveland ECHS provides early college and high school pathways, while Cleveland Innovation and Turning Point Academy offer alternative educational approaches. This variety means families have choices beyond traditional classroom settings, though the overall proficiency picture suggests academic support needs remain present across the district.

The district underwent structural changes in 2022 when it closed two elementary schools in Shelby, consolidating those students into Elizabeth Elementary. That closure altered the geography of school assignment in Shelby neighborhoods and ended walk-to-school options some families had relied on. The former Marion Elementary building remained vacant as of 2025, with the district board considering its sale. For families choosing where to settle in Shelby, this means the elementary school landscape has shifted from prior years, and neighborhoods' proximity to the nearest elementary now differs from what may be documented in older sources.

Housing in the county is moderately valued relative to national benchmarks. Single-family home values cluster in a modest range across the towns served, with prices lowest in areas like Mooresboro and highest in Kings Mountain and Cherryville. Rental availability is limited but present in Shelby and Kings Mountain. The affordability picture shows housing costs as reasonable relative to typical household incomes for the region, with home purchases and rents both tracking well below the national cost-of-income ratio. The unemployment rate hovers near the national average, and median household income sits above the national median, suggesting economic stability in the communities the district serves.

The district's student body is racially diverse, with no single group forming a supermajority. About half the students are white, with substantial shares who identify as Black, and smaller populations of Hispanic students and students of multiple races. Enrollment is fairly stable across grade levels through elementary and middle school, with a dip in high school grades that is typical of most districts. Data on students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, English learners, and special education are not available in the district records provided, so families seeking that context may want to contact schools directly.

The district sits in a rural and semi-rural county with modest population growth pressures, making class sizes and school capacity less of a concern than in faster-growing areas. Families relocating or choosing schools here encounter a district with consistent offerings and a stable housing market that does not require major budget negotiations. The question is whether the academic momentum and support systems meet a particular child's needs, which varies by student and school within the district. The specialized programs suggest the district is trying to reach students on different pathways, and a parent considering a move to this region should visit the schools most relevant to their children's grades and learning profiles.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

14,458

Grades

PK–13

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 9%

Black 27%

White 56%

Asian 1%

Two+ 7%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr 3

43%

61%

Gr 4

53%

70%

Gr 5

45%

66%

Gr 6

42%

65%

Gr 7

46%

68%

Gr 8

50%

72%

Gr 38

47%

67%

Math

Gr 3

68%

82%

Gr 4

56%

75%

Gr 5

56%

77%

Gr 6

56%

77%

Gr 7

48%

69%

Gr 8

38%

62%

Gr 38

54%

73%

Science

Gr 5

58%

79%

Gr 8

41%

64%

Gr 38

49%

71%

Schools in this District

28 schools are officially reported under this district.

Boiling Springs Elementary

Township Three Elementary

Washington Elementary

Union Elementary

Springmore Elementary

Bethware Elementary

Turning Point Academy

East Elementary

Grover Elementary

James Love Elementary

Jefferson Elementary

Kings Mountain High

Kings Mountain Intermediate

Kings Mountain Middle

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

1 grade reported

61%

Grades 3-8

English Language Arts

1 grade reported

54%

Grades 3-8

Science

1 grade reported

57%

Grades 3-8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$205,007

Year-over-year change-1.6%

Range across 13 ZIP codes$133K to $294K

vs. state typical0.61x

vs. national typical0.56x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (13 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
28150		$210K	-2.5%	23.5%
28090		$179K	-4.2%	19.0%
28152	Shelby	$226K	-1.2%	17.1%
28086	Kings Mountain	$250K	+0.0%	14.5%
28020	Casar	$165K	-0.7%	8.7%
28114	Mooresboro	$161K	+5.7%	7.7%
28073	Grover	$188K	-8.0%	5.5%
28021	Cherryville	$251K	+1.6%	3.0%
28040	Ellenboro	$187K	+4.5%	0.6%
28042		$208K	-1.1%	0.1%
28017	Boiling Springs	$235K	-0.5%	0.0%
28136	Polkville	$133K	-6.2%	0.0%
28168	Vale	$294K	+4.0%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,329/mo

Year-over-year change+1.0%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1,136 to $1,761/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
28150		$1,136	+1.0%	23.5%
28152	Shelby	$1,228	—	17.1%
28086	Kings Mountain	$1,761	—	14.5%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$1,034/mo

Home price / national median income2.5x

Annual rent / national median income19.1%

Rent exceeds est. mortgage by$294/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$337,273 (-0.2% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.